Phil Mickelson tells players to take rough with smooth

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Graeme Storm showed just how long the rough is at the Abu Dhabi HSBC ChampionshipSahib Karim / Getty Images

John Hopkins

Last updated at 12:01AM, January 17 2014

It was the first round of the second tournament of the year and already there is dissension on the European Tour. It is to do with the rough that borders the holes of the National course being used for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. There are two complaints: that there’s too much of it and that it is cut the wrong way, a concept that many club golfers will find hard to believe.

Sergio García injured his left shoulder hitting out of it in the pro-am on Wednesday and after a 76, four over par, he suggested that if it